TruBlue Home Service Ally

<a href="https://trubluefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-long-time-ibm-executive-invested-in-a-trublue-total-house-care-franchise-2719992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TruBlue Total House Care</a>, the 80-unit home maintenance franchise, has carved out a lucrative niche as the only franchise brand focused on providing maintenance services for seniors aging in place and busy families. TruBlue believes that aging in place starts with a safe home, and the company offers ongoing in-home support to help seniors remain at home for as long as possible. Now, with the senior population growing and the demand for home services skyrocketing post-COVID, more and more savvy investors are signing on to bring the concept to their community.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldholton?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-long-time-ibm-executive-invested-in-a-trublue-total-house-care-franchise-2719992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Michael Holton</a>, for example, recently signed on with the brand in Winter Garden, Florida, a town right outside of Orlando. Before franchising, Holton spent 22 years with IBM, focused on executive project management. This past year, Holton says he was ready to leverage his operations background to start his own business — one that would allow him to support his community. When he heard about TruBlue Total House Care, everything clicked.“I own a home, and I am a busy adult, and I know that the experience of being a homeowner can be very difficult if something goes wrong,” said Holton. “You have to go find the right person to fix the right thing, and it always seems to be a different person for each job. I knew there was a better option to serve homeowners. And when I saw TruBlue, they had come up with a solution. I had even started building a business plan around this same concept, so when I saw this franchise, it met all my needs.”&nbsp;TruBlue offers a full portfolio of handyman and home care services, no matter how big or small. Additionally, TruBlue's recurring service offering, Home Care Plus, allows homeowners to stay on top of routine maintenance, offering a range of services that are scheduled throughout the year. By staying on top of small, often overlooked home projects, TruBlue helps homeowners, particularly seniors and busy families, avoid costly repairs or issues in the future.&nbsp;Additionally, Holton says his grandmother was looking to age in place around the same time he was looking for business opportunities, but her home wasn’t properly set up for it. “My parents were really struggling with keeping her safe in her home,” he said. “She unfortunately passed in April, but what I realized was that my parents will get to that age at some point, and I need to be prepared. That is the second thing that TruBlue brings to the table — aging in place, making seniors' homes safe. I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of.”Whether performing a home safety assessment to ensure the best living environment, installing safety bars in the bathtub, cleaning the house, changing the air filter, or handling emergency repairs, TruBlue offers ongoing help and support for seniors living at home.&nbsp;Holton says he also recognized a&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/why-now-is-the-time-to-invest-in-a-non-care-senior-service-brand-2719072#franchisor">steadily-growing demand</a> for these services in his community, especially with the massive senior population in Florida. “I see that all my neighbors are either busy adults or they are getting to that older age where they may struggle to stay in their homes,” he said. “I see the need around me and want to help.”&nbsp;When it came to the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/5-reasons-to-invest-in-trublue-total-house-care-2719071#franchisor">TruBlue business model</a>, Holton says he knew he had the skill sets needed to thrive and successfully provide these in-demand services to his community. “Managing the operations, finding the right people, providing the service — I knew I could do that from an owner perspective,” he said. “Also, without the need for a storefront or high costs that are required real estate, I knew I could get open faster.”&nbsp;As an entirely mobile franchise opportunity, TruBlue franchise owners can dive directly into business following training rather than dealing with the setbacks and slowdowns that come with brick-and-mortar locations. Additionally, low startup costs mean that more franchisees can afford to start their own business, while lower overhead costs allow owners to be on the road to positive cash flow and profitability right away.&nbsp;Holton officially signed on with the brand in July and says he hopes to have a soft launch by the fall. From there, he says the sky's the limit when it comes to growth.“I want to continue building the business and bring it to an enterprise-level franchise, which means $2 million in revenue,” said Holton. “I am also considering expanding to a second territory or growing my portfolio.”<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancfitzgerald/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-long-time-ibm-executive-invested-in-a-trublue-total-house-care-franchise-2719992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sean Fitzgerald</a>, TruBlue’s President, says he is thrilled to have Holton joining the team. “The senior population is increasingly in need of our trustworthy house care services, which is why TruBlue has been expanding rapidly over the past few years,” said Fitzgerald. “Looking ahead, we are excited to continue partnering with qualified franchisees like Holton in every major market across the country.”&nbsp;TruBlue has identified Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Naples,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/trublue-total-house-care-eyes-florida-as-top-market-for-large-scale-growth-2716150#featured">Florida</a>, as well as Dallas and Austin,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/trublue-total-house-care-sets-its-sights-on-texas-for-growth-in-2022-2718609#featured">Texas</a>, as key development markets.The total investment estimate for a TruBlue Total House Care franchise ranges from $65,050–$91,400. To learn more about franchising with TruBlue, please visit<a href="https://trubluefranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-this-long-time-ibm-executive-invested-in-a-trublue-total-house-care-franchise-2719992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> https://trubluefranchise.com/</a>.

Why This Long-Time IBM Executive Invested in a TruBlue Total House Care Franchise

1851 Franchise

Leveraging over two decades of operations experience, Michael Holton signed on with the home maintenance franchise to give back to his community and support his neighbors. 

This brand page has been paid for by TRUBLUE HOME SERVICE ALLY. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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For decades,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-dawes-09067411/">John Dawes</a> has successfully built businesses from the ground up. Most recently, it was his work in bathroom safety remodeling that shifted his perspective. While helping seniors modify their homes for safety, Dawes saw firsthand the immense relief and joy his work brought to families.Now, at 60 years old, Dawes isn't looking to retire, he is looking to continue making a difference. Determined to spend the next decade doing meaningful work, Dawes has launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trubluefranchise.com/">TruBlue Home Service Ally</a> in Sioux Falls. By pivoting to franchising, he is skipping the "start-up" headaches he faced in previous ventures to focus entirely on what drives him: providing peace of mind to the Sioux Falls community and helping neighbors stay safe and comfortable in their homes.1851 Franchise sat down with Dawes to discuss the launch of his new business. Here’s what he had to say:1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?John Dawes: I've been in sales and management for most of my career. I bounced around from the auto industry to the mortgage industry, then onto the advertising agency world. I owned a mortgage company for many years here in Sioux Falls. Then I became their national sales trainer and their sales manager for 34 locations. I also owned an auto dealership leads and credit repair company called The Right Track Solution for five years.For the last year and a half, I headed up a national bathroom remodeling company. About 75% of my business was working with seniors, and I really enjoyed seeing firsthand how we impacted our customers and the new peace of mind our services provided for them. This really motivated me to open a business centered around seniors. I still have 10 to 15 years left to work, so I thought, “Why not open a senior service-centered business?”1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Dawes: My first two businesses that I owned, there was not really a model to go by. So, you pretty much had to do everything from figuring out your CRM and your marketing approaches. I did not want to go down that road again because it takes a lot of work and a lot of time. What really attracted me to franchising is that they've already got everything completed for you. It’s like a turnkey business. You go in, follow the instructions and here you go.1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Dawes: I have a lot of friends that own franchises in different industries, so a lot of my perception of franchising comes from their experiences. Some of them were given a ton of freedom and leeway, others not at all. I thought initially that the franchisor would give me everything, but it turned out that they did give me some decision-making power, and I really appreciate that.1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Dawes: When I found&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/info">TruBlue</a> it was just a perfect match. I've always had a heart for helping people, especially seniors. With what they get for compensation and then the amount of things that they give you and the amount of support they give you, there really aren’t any franchises out there like them. They go above and beyond what many other companies do.1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?Dawes: I grew up in North Dakota in Grand Forks, so there might be possibilities of expanding to my home areas. I would definitely like to expand further south, maybe to Sioux City. There aren’t too many TruBlue territories in this area, so there is plenty of opportunity to expand.1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?Dawes: I've always had just a passion for helping people and treating them how they should be treated. With my sales background I always aimed to not put a ton of pressure on customers to purchase or not purchase.Also, I've played racquetball for probably 40 years, 50 years, and I’m a new grandparent! I have one grandchild right now, with 2 more on the way. A lot of my time is spent with my family these days.1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?Dawes: I would definitely say that if you've got the inkling that franchise ownership is something you want to do, then you should do it. The nice thing about franchising is that there's always going to be help and support at the ready for you. If you have the drive to succeed, you will succeed.About TruBlue Home Service Ally:TruBlue Home Service Ally® provides a unique and affordable approach to helping busy adults and seniors live a worry-free life by offering trustworthy handyman, home maintenance and senior modification services. Helping you maintain your home both inside and out, TruBlue’s services include handyman projects and to-do list chores, preventative home maintenance programs, kitchen and bath remodels, seasonal work, and senior modification services, all handled by professional, bonded and insured Tru-Pro® Technicians. TruBlue franchise owners are required to complete senior home safety certification programs through the NAHB and Age Safe America. As certified specialists, TruBlue franchisees are able to perform aging in place home safety assessments and can make recommended safety modifications as needed.All locations are independently owned and operated. Service offerings, certifications, and licenses vary by location.

TruBlue Home Service Ally - John Dawes Franchisee Feature - 1851 Franchise

After discovering a passion for helping seniors age in place safely, John Dawes is bringing the handyman and home safety franchise to Sioux Falls.

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Why This Philanthropist and Pastor Is Starting a TruBlue Franchise in Wilmington, North Carolina

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Hollywood Roots, Home Safety Focus: How TruBlue’s Aging-in-Place Model Draws Purpose-Driven Owners

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Seasoned Entrepreneur Launches TruBlue Home Service Ally Franchise in East Lansing

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On a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bbU1xPK_gI">recent episode of the “Pursuit of Profit” podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trubluefranchise.com/">TruBlue Home Service Ally</a> President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancfitzgerald">Sean Fitzgerald</a> unpacked why aging in place has quickly become one of the most urgent—and underserved — needs in America. Older adults overwhelmingly want to remain in their homes, but the typical home environment often isn’t maintained or designed to support safe independence.Fitzgerald shared how his leadership path through major franchise brands—and his personal experience losing his mother and later his father-in-law after a catastrophic fall—deepened his commitment to&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/info">TruBlue’s</a> mission. He positioned TruBlue as far more than a handyman concept, explaining that the brand’s niche is helping older adults stay safer at home through a three-step approach:&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/trublue-home-service-ally-offers-free-home-assessments-for-fall-prevention-month-2727190">home safety assessments</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/why-trublue-is-the-no-hassle-way-into-the-senior-industry-2729582">senior modifications</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciA12NuaFVg">ongoing maintenance</a> that reduces risk over time.“I believe that most of the falls that seniors experience are due to the home environment not being well-maintained or they’re trying to maintain it,” Fitzgerald said.Throughout the episode, Fitzgerald emphasized that TruBlue wins trust by acting like a long-term partner rather than a one-off service provider — especially for the homeowners 50 and older who make up a majority of customers. The brand’s “Home Service Ally” identity reflects that relationship-first positioning, where small jobs create the credibility to earn larger projects and lifelong customer value.&nbsp;“There’s no job too small,” Fitzgerald said, noting that once a homeowner trusts TruBlue, repeat business follows—and so do referrals from families, neighbors, and even senior care organizations and medical networks seeking reliable in-home support.Watch the full episode&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bbU1xPK_gI">here</a>.&nbsp;For more information visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/info">https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/info</a>.

Fitzgerald explains how TruBlue’s assessments, modifications and ongoing maintenance model helps older adults stay safer at home—while creating recurring, trust-driven demand for franchise owners.

TruBlue’s Sean Fitzgerald on Aging in Place, Fall Prevention and Building a “Home Service Ally”

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<a href="https://www.trubluefranchise.com/">TruBlue Home Service Ally</a>, the national franchise dedicated to helping busy adults and seniors age in place safely and comfortably, closed out 2025 as the strongest year in the brand’s history. Fueled by record franchise development, rising systemwide revenue, and increasing demand for aging-in-place solutions, the brand enters 2026 positioned for even greater expansion.“We had by far our best year ever,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancfitzgerald">Sean Fitzgerald</a>, president of&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehomeserviceally/info">TruBlue</a>. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in not only new franchise owners, but also in growth and revenue systemwide. We more than doubled our new franchise agreements signed in 2025, and we’ve seen over a 25% increase in systemwide revenue.”According to Fitzgerald, the momentum goes beyond the numbers. TruBlue is attracting a new caliber of franchise owners — professionals with strong leadership, sales and marketing backgrounds who recognize the long-term opportunity in the aging-in-place sector.“Overall growth is really overshadowing any other big developments,” Fitzgerald said. “A lot of new professionals are joining TruBlue with really impressive backgrounds. The level of business acumen of our new owners coming into the system has been very impressive.”As TruBlue’s footprint expands nationwide, the brand is unlocking new opportunities to serve seniors and their families through broader partnerships and programs aimed at supporting safe, independent living.“Because we’ve grown so rapidly and we have much more coverage than we did even a year ago, we’re beginning to develop more strategic partners and programs,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s nothing new about aging in place, but the demand for our services is becoming more and more pronounced.”That demand, Fitzgerald explained, is being driven by a critical gap in the marketplace, one TruBlue is uniquely positioned to fill.“There are not a lot of options for people who need simple and minor senior modifications like grab bars or handheld showers,” he said. “Durable medical equipment companies focus on large installations and don’t want to mess with small projects. Seniors are left struggling to find trustworthy people for these services, and that’s our sweet spot.”As insurance and subsidy models evolve, more age-driven services are becoming eligible for coverage, further accelerating demand.“Historically, health insurance only covered services prescribed by a doctor,” Fitzgerald said. “Now, more services are age-driven instead of need-driven, which is fueling demand. Our opportunities are going to increase because we’re happy to do these minor senior modifications. Our business model is to build long-term customer relationships and not just a transactional business.”Looking ahead, TruBlue’s leadership team sees its expanding coverage as the final piece needed to unlock even more national partnerships.“The only thing holding us back from developing more national partnerships in the past was coverage,” Fitzgerald said. “The demand is there, we just need good operators in more markets. It’s almost an ‘I told you so’ moment. The senior aging-in-place wave is here. It’s no longer coming — it’s evident, and it’s fueling our growth.”As TruBlue prepares for 2026, the brand continues to seek franchise partners who are natural community builders and storytellers.“We’re really looking for people with a sales and marketing mindset,” Fitzgerald said. “Our owners are creating awareness, connecting to the community and becoming the local authority on aging in place. We’re looking for people who can build teams, network and tell the story of why our services matter.”With record-setting growth behind it and powerful demographic trends ahead, TruBlue enters the new year confident in its position at the forefront of the aging-in-place movement.“Our owners have been doing a great job connecting with their communities,” Fitzgerald said. “This trend is only going to continue, and we are well-positioned for it.”To learn more about franchise opportunities with TruBlue Home Service Ally, visit: <a href="https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/info">&nbsp;https://1851franchise.com/trubluehousecare/info</a>.

The home maintenance, repair, and senior modification franchise caps its strongest year ever, driven by rapid franchise expansion, systemwide revenue gains, and surging market demand.

Why This Long-Time IBM Executive Invested in a TruBlue Total House Care Franchise

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